Is Canada expanding Permanent Residency to Semi-Skilled Workers?

Highlights: Is Canada offering Permanent Residency to Semi-skilled workers?

• IRCC has proposed changes to the Immigration and Refugees Protection Act (IRPA).
• An economic immigration class will be introduced for workers listed under TEER levels 4 and 5.
• The pathway aims to expand the selection of skilled and experienced candidates as Canadian Permanent Residents.
• The new pathway is also aiming to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada.

 

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TEER System in Canada

Canada introduced the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system in 2012. The TEER system was introduced under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system and replaced the “Skills Levels” in 2016.

 

The table below lists the details of the minimum education requirements for each TEER level:

TEER level	Minimum education required
0-3	Post-secondary education or apprenticeship
4 and 5	High school education or on-the-job training

 

Note: TEER 5 does not require formal education, but some job roles that need short-term work descriptions are enough.

 

Presently, TEER 4 and 5 are ineligible for Express Entry for federal economic immigration managed under the Express Entry system. According to reports by Statistics Canada, it is noticed that many newcomers come to Canada and start working at "low-skilled" positions. StatCan reports have also revealed a shift in the recruitment of Temporary Foreign Workers (TWFs) and international students in low-skilled industries such as accommodation and food services and the retail trade sector in Canada.

 

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Temporary Resident Levels in Canada

The new PR pathways introduced for TEER 4 and 5 indicate IRCC's shift towards reducing the number of temporary residents in Canada. Traditionally, no cap was set for temporary residents such as students, workers, and visitors, but Canada increased its study permit cap to 606,000 for 2024. The country is also planning to add temporary resident levels to the Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027, which is expected to be released by November 01, 2024.

 

The IRCC will be increasing the number of "domestic draws" as the department is planning to provide PR to all temporary residents who are already in Canada before welcoming newcomers to the country. The department has recently increased the number of Express Entry draws targeting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. Most applicants under these streams are temporary residents living and working in the country. Canada invited 14,575 new PRs in July 2024 and will be issuing more ITAs to reach its annual target of 2024.

 

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